


Ushijima Has a Friendly Stalker

by My_Furnace_Has_Wings



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Best Friends, Gen, Shiratorizawa, Tendou wants to make friends, Ushijima is awkward, Volleyball, You Should Have Come to Shiratorizawa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:49:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25703884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Furnace_Has_Wings/pseuds/My_Furnace_Has_Wings
Summary: Tendou stalks Ushijima home to become friends. Poor Ushijima is just like: What? Why are you following me? Why? Tall bean-child, why? Do you want to come in? Friends? Yes sure. Friendship is good. Why are you surprised I said yes? Why would you think I would say otherwise? We are on the same volleyball team; I think being friends would be beneficial. Well, it was nice having you over-wait. Where are you going? That’s not the way to the bathroom. Please bean-pole child, leave my house.
Kudos: 22





	Ushijima Has a Friendly Stalker

**Author's Note:**

> The title doesn't sound quite right but eh, I couldn't think of anything better. That's what the summary is for.

A noodle. That’s what Ushijima’s classmate reminded him of. Or a beanpole. Tall and lanky. Tendou…S-something. He was one of the newest members to the Shiratorizawa volleyball club. He was not at all what Ushijima was expecting. This kid was fast. He was better than previous members. His blocking technique was… one to marvel at. However, it wasn’t something one hundred percent reliable. There were times when he was wrong. But it never deterred the kid from his secret talent. 

During practice was when Ushijima noticed his classmates. Memorizing who was who. Names with faces, what year they were in. Those that were in their second and third years were given due respect as his elders. His fellow first years were sort out in classes. Did they share any? It would be beneficial if they did. Bonding was excellent for a team to get closer. A closer team meant a trusting team. A team that could put all its trust in every member was a strong team. And strong teams win. 

It was during the first few weeks that Ushijima noticed who was in his classes and who wasn’t. He shared classes with all of them. He made sure to take a seat next to them if he could. Offering to do assignments with them if it were pairs. He needed to know his teammates. 

They had never said they were friends, but they shouldn’t have to, right? They hung out. They practiced together. They helped each other. That’s what friends do. And that’s that. 

It was after one of their late afternoon practices that it happened. Ushijima was on his way home. Bag slung over his shoulder as he walked home. An uneasy feeling wouldn’t let him go though. Pausing, Ushijima would look behind him. Turning to scan the area. People littered the open space and there wasn’t anyone Ushijima could pick out that was labelled suspicious. Turning around, he headed home once more. 

That uneasy feeling crept back up his spine. He paused. He knew he was being followed. Shouldering his bag and tightening his grip, Ushijima started a slow jog, building up his pace quickly. His stalker would need to be fit to be able to keep up with him.

Ushijima jogged around another corner, deviating from his home somewhat. He didn’t want this person to potentially know where he lived. He didn’t bother ducking to hide. He could hear the heavy stomps following him. They stumbled from the corner. Dramatically pausing to look at him. Scowling before collapsing on the sidewalk. A few people gave him some odd looks as they walked around him.

“Tendou.” Ushijima greeted. This was his stalker? A fellow classmate? Well, now he just felt silly. Why didn’t he just come out to him earlier? And how had Ushijima not noticed him in the crowd when he’d looked? “Why were you following me?”

“Ushi…jima.” Tendou panted as he slowly got up. He huffed, out of breath, but he offered a lop-sided grin. Hand on his hip.

Ushijima waited for an answer. He had to admit it was nice to be able to look at someone who was a similar height to him. Instead of having to crane his neck down. His eyes travelled up and down as he pondered. A noodle? Or a beanpole? But a red beam-pole. Phaseolus vulgaris. Though the plant itself was common, there was nothing common about this red head before him. He was a great fit with Shiratorizawa and the volleyball club.

Ushijima hummed. “Noodle.”

“Huh?” Tendou leant forward to catch whatever it was that Ushijima had uttered.

“You remind me of a noodle.” Ushijima didn’t miss a beat.

Tendou paused. He froze. Eyes locked on the other man for a few seconds before he was leaning back and grinning. “A noodle, huh?”

“Tall.” Ushijima nodded as he looked toward the direction of home. “Thin.”

Tendou leant back dramatically as if offended. His voice rising in pitch “Thin?”

“But you’re strong.” Ushijima looked back at him. “I need to get home. You should too.” He nodded a goodbye. Walking away.

He heard the footsteps following him not long after. He didn’t need to glance back to know it was his classmate. He could still hear the quiet huffs as his classmate regained his breath. “You never told me why you were following me.”

“Ah.” Tendou fell into step beside Ushijima. “Well that’s because I have a very important question to ask you.”

Ushijima hummed. Nodding. What was it then?

“I wanted to as-” Tendou turned his head away as he coughed. “Ah, damn.”

“You aren’t used to running that much.” Ushijima stated. Should he offer him something to drink? That was what friends did, right? He didn’t tell Tendou to go. Letting him hang.

“Well, no. I mean I train and all but…” Tendou looked over to Ushijima. “You’re way fitter than me.”

“I work out more.” It was a simple enough statement. He looked over to see if he had said anything to offend. Something Ushijima admittedly struggled with. When he’d said something harsh or gone too far. Those cues were hard to pick up on. Though Tendou seemed fine. Or was he missing the cues again?

“We’re almost at my home. You can come in and rest.” Ushijima nodded as he spoke. Yes, that would fine. 

When they got there, his house a few meters away, Tendou stopped.

Ushijima stopped also. Turning to see if something was wrong. A pebble in his classmate’s shoes?

“Why did you stop?”

Tendou stood relaxed. One hand by his side, but the other one gripping his bag strap was almost white. “I was following you because I wanted to ask if you wanted to be friends?”

Ushijima turned to face the other kid properly. Friends? Were they not already? Ushijima remained silent as he rearranged his thoughts. Eyes downcast at the loose gravel. So, they weren’t friends before. Had he been doing this wrong? Perhaps he needed to ask the others to be friends too? Ushijima looked up. Meeting Tendou’s eyes. Well that should be an easy fix.

“Yes. We can be friends.” He nodded with his affirmation.

Tendou’s eyes widened, something Ushijima didn’t know was possible with how wide they already were. Fully of surprises, was he? “Really?”

“Friendship is good. Why are you surprised I said yes?”

“I just thought-”

“Why would you think otherwise?” Ushijima mentally scolded himself for being rude and interrupting. Though the look Tendou gave him told him maybe this time it was alright. His face went from sullen to surprised again.

“Why would you think I would say otherwise? We are on the same volleyball team, I think it would be beneficial.”

Tendou swallowed and nodded.

“Do you need something to drink?” Ushijima gestured to his house.

Tendou nodded tentatively. Walking forwards.

“I haven’t had the best luck with friends.” Tendou whispered.

Ushijima wasn’t sure if he was supposed to hear that or not. So, he opted for saying nothing. He could ask about it later. Clearly it was something deeply ingrained in his new friend’s thoughts that created anxiousness, otherwise, why would he have whispered it?

“Here.” Ushijima offered a class of water to his new friend. As his friend was busy downing the drink, Ushijima offered to explain. “I thought we were already friends.” He looked at his friend who lowered the now empty glass. “I had learnt which classes I had with who. We worked together on an assignment-”

“I remember.” Tendou’s eyes grew big again and he tried to drink what was no longer in the glass.

“Would you like a refill?”

Tendou nodded, handing the glass back.

Ushijima took it, refilled it, and handed it back. “We sit next to each other in class. Because I wanted to sit next to you.”

Tendou downed the glass again as his face flushed.

“Is it too warm?”

“Nope.” His voice bubbled with the water.

“I did the same with our other first year friends on the team. I believe that we need to get along to be a good team. To get to know each other and trust each other completely. If we trust each other, then we can become strong and reliable to every individual on the team.”

Tendou lowered the glass slowly. “Really?”

“Yes.” Ushijima nodded. Why was this not obvious? Was he being too cryptic? 

“Can I borrow your bathroom?” Tendou asked after a long pause of silence. Sniffing once. Twice.

Nodding, Ushijima lead the way. He could have told him, but someone had wandered into a different room the last time. Safest to not embarrass his friend. “Just through there.” He pointed.

Tendou edged around him, practically sticking to the wall. Pushing through the doors.

Ushijima wandered back out to the living room. Retrieving the glass and setting in the kitchen sink. Should he physically call his teammates friends? That way they would know he thought of them as friends. Perhaps they were intimidated by him? That had been an issue at his previous junior school. He had been able to fix that with a simple conversation. This shouldn’t be too different. He nodded to himself as he deemed that the best way to start the friendship.

The sound of water running caught Ushijima’s attention. He turned and waited for his friend to come back. It had been three minutes of Ushijima constantly checking the clock before he deemed it time to go in search of his teammate.

“Tendou?” 

The other kid emerged from the bathroom with red eyes. He sniffed once but his grin was nearly splitting his face. Truly something to be afraid of if he were ever to get on Tendou’s bad side. Ushijima made a mental note to not do that. Then he mentally scolded himself for judging his friend. He knew what it was like to be judged before people got to know him.

“Yeah?” Tendou’s voice pitched and he cleared it before speaking again. “Yeah?”

“Just wondering what was taking so long.” Ushijima turned and started to walk away. “Well, it was nice having you over.” He picked up Tendou’s bag and held it out for the boy to take. There was still plenty that needed to be done around the house before his mum got home. Though, the look on Tendou’s face had Ushijima frowning. Why did he look sad again?

“Yeah. Right.” He took the bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at practice.”

Tendou looked back. His eyes seemed to be searching for something. Something Ushijima had yet to find out, but he supposed it was private. He wouldn’t pry. After a few more seconds, Tendou smiled lazily. “Yeah.” He breathed as if relieved. Relieved about what? But before Ushijima could even consider asking if he was alright, Tendou was waving a hand in goodbye as he departed.

Ushijima stood in the living room for a whole minute as he pondered the evenings events. But he let a ghost of a smile grace his lips as he went about his chores. Friends. He was getting excited to see his friends tomorrow. The smile disappeared as his thoughts deepened on how to come across as friendly to his fellow classmates. Making a mental note: don’t be intimidating. Be friendly. Be himself. Tendou could vouch they were friends.

Ushijima didn’t often have friends over. He didn’t really have friends. Friendly and friends were very different. But he had one friend now. And hopefully, the rest of the team would be the same.


End file.
